Kristen's Play Dough Recipe

Updated July 28, 2007

I've made lots of play dough since I've had kids, and I've tried dozens of recipes. Some required cooking. Some required special ingredients. Some contained so much oil that they stained my kids clothes. Some contained so much salt that they sucked the moisture right out of our hands. I wanted something that was fast and cheap and wouldn't damage clothing or make us beg for lotion. I played around in my kitchen one day and came up with this one.

Make sure you have your kids helps you make it!

Ingredients

1/2 c Boiling Water
3 tbl. Salt
1 tbl. Vegetable Oil
10-50 drops Food Coloring (depending on the color desired)
1 c All Purpose Flour
extra All Purpose Flour for Firming

Directions

Mix together the boiling water, salt, vegetable oil, and food coloring. Stir until the salt has dissolved.
Add the flour.
Mix together. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle on medium speed. If hand mixing, use a spoon to incorporate the liquid and flour, then kneed with your hands (kids love this part).
If the dough still seems too sticky to play with, add more flour 1 tbl. at a time. Make sure that each tablespoon of flour is incorporated before adding another. The dough should be firm enough to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Add more flour 1 tbl. at a time to achieve the desired firmness. If your dough is very soft (and probably slightly sticky) it will be perfect for making noodles and squeezing into molds (especially for toddlers who don't have very strong hands). If you add extra flour to make a firm dough, it will be perfect for sculpting into statues. The flour will continue to absorb the water, causing it to firm up over the next few hours, so try to leave it a bit on the soft side if you plan on using it later, or go ahead and add the extra flour if your kids plan on playing with it immediately.
Store in an airtight container. Zip-top bags work best because you can squeeze out the excess air. If your kids don't play with the play dough daily, always check it first to ensure it isn't moldy or stinky.

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